Scars
by ChimeraStorm
Summary: In which Cullen and Lady Trevelyan learn their history in scars.


**SCARS**  
A Dragon Age Inquisition One Shot

I do not own Dragon Age or its characters!  
I'm just playing with them for a bit – I'll put them back, mostly unharmed.  
Pairing - Cullen and Mage!Trevelyan

_*Authors Note: I'm not 100% certain about the ending of this, it feels a little unfinished so any feedback about that would be hugely appreciated!*_

"Alright then - this one? What happened?"

His voice was soft, his touch even more so as his fingertips ghosted over the large, jagged-looking silvery scar that all but covered her left shoulder; standing stark against the warmth of her slightly tan skin.

"Hmm," she shivered under his touch; "I hate that scar, truly. It happened when I was in the Circle. We had an influx of new initiates, all quite young, and one of them was so nervous and anxious she kept accidentally letting small fireballs go. One of them caught me in the shoulder before I had chance to deflect it. Poor girl, she was mortified."  
"Did she get into trouble?"  
"No. The Enchanter that was tutoring them was quite lenient, probably more than she should have been. The girl in question…"

Olivia trailed off, her eyes downcast. Cullen curled a finger under her chin and tipped her face up gently.

"Liv?"  
"Her name was Talia. She took to her classes and training really well; she was incredibly gifted and studious. She used to sit with me in the library, always asking questions, always wanting to learn more and eventually we became friends."  
"What happened?" Cullen stroked his thumb softly over her jaw line.  
"She told me once that I reminded her of her sister, even though her sister had no magical abilities at all; Talia said that our personalities were so similar. She said that that made her feel safer in the Circle, that she felt more at home having me nearby. She didn't… She didn't pass her Harrowing."  
"Oh, Liv," Cullen brushed a kiss across her forehead; "I am so sorry."  
Olivia sniffled quietly, "so that's where the scar came from. It's huge and it's ugly and I hate it; it hurt like mad but in a way I like having it there."  
"Because it reminds you of Talia, of the friendship you shared?"  
"Exactly," a small smile curled her lips upwards.  
"It isn't ugly, Olivia, it's part of who you are and you are," Cullen stroked the scarring softly with his fingertips before kissing along her shoulder; "and you are beautiful."  
"_Cullen_…" his name was barely more than a breath, "my…my turn?"  
"Indeed, my Lady," the reply came with another soft kiss, this time at the corner of her mouth.  
Olivia brushed her fingertip over the scar that crossed his upper lip, noting the shiver her action caused; "this one."  
"You've been waiting to ask this, haven't you?"  
"Perhaps," she admitted, with a wry smile.

He chuckled and pulled her closer, turning her so her back pressed flush against his chest. She burrowed herself closer still, enjoying the feel of his chest rising and falling with each breath and the easy intimacy and warmth of his skin touching hers. He wrapped one arm around her, snaking it under her body; his other hand idly stroking circles on her hip and she hummed happily when his lips brushed her ear; his voice soft and low.

"After the events of Kirkwall I was charged to help restore peace. The city was a complete mess; Hightown was barely recognizable what with the destruction of the Chantry and surrounding buildings. There were fires to put out, people to assist and the unenviable task of finding…"

Olivia's hand caught his and squeezed gently when his voice grew quiet; a simple gesture of support that gained a quick smile and a brief kiss just under her ear.

"My men and I had gone to Lowtown to try and contain some of the more violent groups that had been preying on innocent people; mugging or even murdering them. One such group had a particularly powerful mage who wielded her staff like a sword; it even had a blade at the end, which I found out the hard way when she swung it at my face. The blade went straight through my lip and upwards. It was agony, I felt as though my entire face was on fire from the pain of it. By the time I'd gotten back to the Gallows and a healer had been sent for, the damage was permanent. The healer could close the wound and stop any infection from setting in but it left me with this."  
"Ouch", Olivia winced and turned in his arms to face him; "I like it, though. It suits you."  
"I… Do you think so?" Cullen arched an eyebrow in surprise, "I've always hated it if I'm honest. Foolish vanity, I suppose."  
"I think it makes you even more handsome. Devilishly so, in fact," she kissed his upper lip softly before nipping where the scar began.  
"_Olivia_…" his voice purring, low in his throat as his hands skimmed over her waist.

She laughed, a soft husky breath against his mouth; the tip of her tongue tracing the length of the scar, the barest touch that caused his nerves to sing and his blood to ignite.  
Capturing her lips with his; he slipped one arm around her to topple her under him and moved the other up to tangle his fingers in her fiery hair.


End file.
